Richard Sandrak, once hailed as ‘Little Hercules’ for his extraordinary bodybuilding strength as a child, has now transitioned away from the weights at the age of 30, embracing a completely different lifestyle.
Formerly known as the ‘world’s strongest boy’ for his exceptional strength and tough physique, Richard Sandrak, now 30, has transitioned away from his bodybuilding days and prefers a life away from the spotlight.
“I receive numerous emails where people inquire, ‘Where are new pictures?’ His regular routine in the gym, pumping iron and building muscle, has now taken a backseat, and Richard’s extraordinary childhood is a thing of the past. As of 2015, he was reported to be working as a stuntman at Universal Studios Hollywood Waterworld, according to the Daily Star.
Richard, born in Ukraine and raised in Pennsylvania, USA, faced criticism directed at his parents due to his extreme childhood.”
Accusations of cruelty were directed at Richard’s parents (Getty Images).
Some accused Richard’s parents of cruelty after reports claimed he had just one percent body fat, which could be fatally low.
Some even suggested he was taking performance-enhancing drugs like steroids. A previous report by LadBible spoke to medical professionals who said a child his age would not be able to produce the level of testosterone needed to build the muscles in the way Richard was managing to at the time.
Richard, aged nine, with his family (Stewart Cook/REX/Shutterstock)
Richard said at the time: “Lots of people will come over to try to touch my abs and my muscles to check if it’s fake or not.”
“I remember one time a guy tried to pull it off and check if it was real.”
His newfound fame meant young Richard was raking in several thousand a month, but he later said he was controlled by his abusive dad Pavel.
Richard was raking in several thousand a month (Stewart Cook/REX/Shutterstock)
Richard had to eat heaps of lettuce while dad Pavel enjoyed pizza in front of him.
Pavel was sent to prison for domestically abusing Richard’s mom when he was just 11. This brought Richard’s bodybuilding to an end as he cut ties with his dad.
Richard said he was never “forced to train or do anything against my will” and just wanted to join in with his mom and dad working out when he was young.
He last spoke to the media in 2015 and, though he has shed the gym weights, he is still very much in shape.
“I’m not going to be stuck living in it,” Richard has said.
